Malinda Franco:  

The real me. I have always felt like an outsider in every social gathering. Starting to work at nine (9) years old, I spent 50% of my time being treated like a child at school and 50% of my time like an adult. It was hard to fit into the school and work world and feel like you belonged to either of them 100%. I wanted to be liked and belong in both worlds, and I feel I failed in both. I was too young to be accepted by the adults and too awkward to be accepted by the students. Due to my home life, I rarely invited friends over to my home. I never invited people to spend the night as that would not have been good for them. This made my friends think I didn't like them. I spent my entire childhood wishing I had a typical home where I could invite friends over and be an average child. I just turned 56 years old and am just now starting to figure out who I am (I know it takes some of us longer than others) and feel more comfortable around others. I work in IT, selling IT hardware, Software, and Services to businesses worldwide. I travel to visit customers. I have become so geeky and nerdy and so happy that I have. It is so lovely to be able to have a career I enjoy. I met a wonderful man when I was 20 years old, and he became my husband and the father of our son. As of this year (2023), we have been married for 32 years and together almost 35 years. I don't think there was anyone in school I met that I didn't like. I d...Expand for more